Friday Beat
April 13, 2018 Edition
The newsletter that takes a Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child (WSCC) approach.
Announcements
April is Alcohol Awareness Month
Since 1987 the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence (NCADD) has sponsored April as Alcohol Awareness Month to increase public awareness and reduce stigma surrounding alcoholism. This year’s theme of “Changing Attitudes: It’s not a ‘rite of passage’” will focus on educating youth and emphasizing the role that parents can play in describing the impact that alcohol can have on their lives. Download the Organizers Guide online, to educate others.
Professional Development
Webinar- Navigating ASCD’s Conference on Teaching Excellence
ASCD’s Conference of Teaching Excellence has a new format for 2018. On Thursday, April 19 at 2:00 p.m. CDT, ASCD will be hosting a webinar to discuss the ASCD’s 2018 Conference on Teaching Excellence’s new format and intended experience. The goal of the conference is to immerse educators by allowing them to experience learning, connect with educators, and design action plans. Register for the webinar online to learn more about the new conference format.
Webinar- Qualities of Effective Teachers: Improving Schools One Classroom at a Time
On Tuesday April 10, at 2:00p.m. CDT, ASCD will be hosting a webinar discussing student success. There is a direct, measurable link between teacher effectiveness and student success. Recent research has backed this claim demonstrating that teacher quality is a major determinant of gains in student learning. To learn what effective teachers do, and which qualities are most important to effective teaching, register for the webinar.
Funding Opportunities
Urban Schools Agricultural Grant
The Texas Department of Agriculture has just released a new grant opportunity for schools districts with populations of 49,000 or more. The Urban Schools Agricultural Grant Program is an agricultural-related program for urban elementary and middle public school students. The program helps improve students' understanding of agriculture through school based projects, offering up to $2,500 per school. Project’s scope and direction are unlimited as long as they are working to improve children’s knowledge and appreciation of agriculture. Applications are due by 5:00p.m. CDT on May 30, 2018. Learn more by visiting the TDA website.
Health Education
AHK Webinar: Reading, Writing, Arithmetic… And Recess
Join Action for Healthy Kids on Thursday, April 19, 2018 from 12:00-1:00pm CDT for a webinar titled Reading, Writing, Arithmetic… And Recess. Learn why recess is important for child development and how to be a champion for recess in the school environment. Register for the webinar online.
Physical Education & Physical Activity
Playworks: 3 Ways Schools are Transforming Recess and Improving Culture
The recess environment can be reflective of school culture. Whatever is happening outside the classroom is likely happening inside the classroom. To bring positive energy to the playground as well as the classroom, Playworks recommends adults actively play games with students, students practice empathy on the playground, and that school recess support staff feel empowered. Read the article to learn how to implement these strategies.
Nutrition Environment & Services
Team Nutrition: Food Buying Guide Mobile Application
The Food Buying Guide (FBG) is an essential tool for all Child Nutrition Programs. The FBG assists Child Nutrition Program operators, food manufacturers and other stakeholders with purchasing the correct amount of food for meals programs and determining the contribution that each food makes towards meal pattern requirements. To see what else the app can do, visit the website.
Health Services
Archived Webinar: Working with Teen Patients: Understanding Adolescent Brain Development and Non-Judgmental Communication Bias
Adolescents have unique needs compared to patients of other age-groups, which can challenge school health staff. This webinar discusses how perceptions of the adolescent brain impacts school health staff’s interactions with teen patients. Tools such as nonverbal communication and proper tone to enhance student/adult interaction are discussed. To learn strategies for communicating with adolescent patients, review the webinar.
Counseling, Psychological, & Social Services
NIH News in Health: Building Social Bonds
In the April issue of the NIH Newsletter, the importance of connections for promoting well-being is discussed. Studies have found that having a variety of social relationships may help reduce stress and an increase life expectancy. Children learn the social skills to form and maintain relationships with others. To learn more about what a healthy relationship looks like, the protective effect of social ties, and how to help others get help if needed read the article.
Social & Emotional Climate
Mental health issues linked to risky driving in newly licensed teens
Recent research has revealed that mental health symptoms related to ADHD and conduct disorder can be associated with increased driving errors and higher rates of self-reported risky driving behaviors. The findings suggest that mental health issues might contribute to the risk of crashes in a newly licensed adolescent drivers. The higher the self-reported rate of inattention, the greater the risk for driving errors. Overall symptoms of hyperactivity and impulsivity, not necessarily diagnoses, were associated with risky driving. To learn more about mental health factors and how management can reduce risky driving behavior, read the article.
Physical Environment
Gardening Interventions to Increase Vegetable Consumption Among Kids
The Community Preventative Services Task Force (CPSTF), appointed by the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), provides evidence based findings and recommendations about community preventive services, programs, and other interventions aimed at improving population health. One of their gardening interventions, meant to provide kids with hand on experiences in outside gardens, micro farms, container gardens, and other alternative gardening methods can lead to increased willingness to consume fruits and vegetables among kids. Learn more about the intervention and review promotional materials by going online.
Employee Wellness
2nd International Symposium to Advance Total Worker Health®
Registration for the 2nd International Symposium to Advance Total Worker Health® is now open. This year’s theme is Work & Well-being: How Safer, Healthier Work Can Enhance Well-Being. Some of the areas that will be discussed include workplace risks and health outcomes, health and the work environment, changing workforce demographics, advancing the state of the science for total worker health: methods for research and interventions and much more. Register for the event online.
Hallways to Health Webinar: Building a Team and Engaging Your Partners
On April 17, 2018 at 1:00p.m. CDT, the School Based Health Alliance will describe the benefits and process of creating a school-wide wellness team. Strategies and tools for engagingparents, youth, and community-based organizations and businesses will be discussed. To learn more about how to engage and build a school wellness team, register for the webinar. Review the archived kick off webinar online.
Family Engagement
Parent, Family, and Community Engagement Simulation: Boosting School Readiness through Effective Family Engagement Series
Developed by the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services’ Head Start Early Childhood Learning & Knowledge Center, simulations are available for developing positive goal oriented relationships in families. Four simulations are available addressing four different areas of family skill building. Review the simulations online.
Community Involvement
Understanding Disparities in Child and Adolescent Research
The Children’s Safety Network has released a white paper titled “Understanding Disparities in Child and Adolescent Injury: A Review of the Research.” Health disparities are preventable differences in the burden of injury that are experienced by socially disadvantaged populations and communities. Disparities in the risk of intentional and unintentional child and adolescent injuries are found across distinct populations considering sex, race/ethnicity, geography, and other relevant variables. To learn more about these disparities, download the white paper online.
Celebrate National Minority Health Month
April is National Minority Health Month and this year’s theme is “Partnering for Health Equity.” The CDC’s Office of Minority Healthy and Health Equity’s mission is to improve healthy equity and women’s health issues across the nation through the CDC’s science and programs. Educating others about what healthy equity and health disparities are and why they are important can help initiate changes in the minority health landscape. To teach others about these topics, visit the CDC webpage.
Quote to Note
““The groundwork for all happiness is good health.” – Leigh Hunt, English writer
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The articles and hyperlinks to external websites appearing in Friday Beat are intended to be informational and do not represent an endorsement by the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS). Other websites may not be accessible to people with disabilities. External email addresses may also be provided as a courtesy. If you choose to correspond, please be advised that DSHS policies may not apply. For information about any of the programs listed, contact the sponsoring organization directly. For comments or questions about Friday Beat, email the School Health Program at or call (512) 776-7279.
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